Fated Throne (Zodiac Academy, #6)

by Caroline Peckham

“Darius has a lovely peachy ass.” “Because he’s in love with my sister which makes him about as appealing to me as a three-day-old tuna sandwich – no offence,” I tossed at Darius and he smirked. “You’re an old tuna sandwich to me too, Gwen,” he agreed, and I punched him over the name, but couldn’t fight a smirk.

I hated being tactile with anyone. Anyone except Darcy. Alright, and Darius. Apparently, I only liked the D.

“The king dick wants me to find the Imperial Star for him. Seems he’s got a Seer who knows I’m the key to finding it,” he said into my neck, and I dragged him further up the bed so that we could lay with our heads on the pillows to talk.

“Are you thirsty?” I asked and he groaned, nodding slowly. “But I’m also having trouble keeping my hands off of you right now and I’m concerned that if I bite you, we might end up fucking,” he joked, and I barked another laugh. “It’s probably inevitable after all this time anyway, right?” I carved a hand through my dark hair as he eyed my neck hungrily. “If only you didn’t have that big Dragon dick between your thighs, we could have been perfect,” he joked. “Oh please, we both know you’d be the girl in our relationship,” I told him, and he rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say.”

“Okay. Then you have to tell me about the assholes who hurt you in that place so that I can go in and kill them with my bare hands,” I replied. “Maybe we should focus on your father first?” he suggested with a dark chuckle. “Fine,” I agreed. “But then I’m going down there to kick some ass.” “You’re so protective of me, sweetheart,” he joked. “Always, baby,” I agreed with a laugh,

“Are we or are we not about to meet in a clandestine, Order mixing, law flouting, gathering of the biggest A.S.S.es you know?” “Well, yes, but-” “And are we, or are we not about to ram our truth down the throats of those vile K.U.N.T.s?” I proceeded. “Yes. But-” “So, are we A.S.S. ramming or are we ramming the K.U.N.T.s? Because so help me, Angelica, I can’t think of a simpler way to phrase our noble work.”

“You truly are one beastly specimen of a man, Darius Acrux. No wonder my lady Tory is so enamoured with your swollen banana. I did sometimes wonder if she’d been drinking at the moose juice when she kept falling under your spell, but getting a close up look at your man-parcel really has me all of a dither-”

My Pegasus form was as big as his and my horn could even have been a touch larger. I should get Sofia to measure them both because mine is definitely girthier too and that has to count for something.

“He’s pretty fucking nice to look at.” “And spoon with,” Orion added with a grin. “One time while I was in Darkmore, I drew all of his tattoos from memory alone just because I couldn’t stop thinking about them. And then I stuck the pictures to the wall beside my bed so I could kinda feel like he was there while I was sleeping.”

Having Orion’s new number was a treat in itself. I sent him daily photographs of me and Darcy together with captions like #sheaintblueoveryounomore and #teamDeth. He’d blocked my number after threatening to rip my intestines out and strangle me with them – among other murderous threats - but then I got a magical app which sent my texts from anonymous numbers so he couldn’t keep me away. It was hilarious. And very intentional. Because I was officially kickstarting Mission: Get Darion Back Together.

I was going to get her back together with the love of her life and make Lance Orion my bestie in the process. Like, not at first. Man, he was going to fucking hate me. But long term, he was a bestie to be. Either that or I really was going to end up strangled by my own intestines.

“Look, I know I’m always the first to tell people to get fucked if they cross me. And I’m the first to kick a dude in the dick if he even thinks about crossing you - which I have been doing repeatedly to Orion by the way - but my situation has made me realise that maybe, sometimes, it’s worth letting your pride slip and thinking about forgiveness.

“I’m yours, Darius,” she breathed, her voice barely audible over the storm. “And you’re mine. No matter what.”

“I’ve known since I crowned you in my car. Just don’t ever forget you were my queen first.”

“I love you, Blue. I loved you then, I love you now, I’ll love you tomorrow even if I’m no longer on this earth. No time exists where I won’t love you.”

If she died today, so would I. I wouldn’t stay a single second longer in this world without her.

“All hail the Dragon King!” Vard cried and an answering call fell from the lips of everyone in the stands. “All hail the Vega Queens!” I bellowed in response and dropped to my knees, bowing for my queens in an act of rebellion which would likely be my last.

“I love you, Lance,”

Lance Orion came for me. He loves me like a pack mate.